What's the most detailed information that you can get from a DNA swab?

Question

Out of any type of swab and/or test.

Answer 1

might I suggest you visit http://familytreedna.com

you can find all the information you need on their site, I have used them and they are the best, in my opinion. :o)

Below is a reply I have given to a similar previous question, dna cannot tell you which country you originated in, only the probable area, or areas of the world your ancient ancestors passed through during their evolution.

Human cells contain 23 pairs of chromosomes: 22 pairs of autosomes, and one pair of s*x chromosomes. Females carry a pair of X chromosomes that can swap, or recombine, similar regions of DNA during meiosis. However, males harbor one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, and significant recombination between these dissimilar s*x chromosomes does not occur. Therefore, the non-recombining region of the Y chromosome (NRY) remains largely unchanged over many generations, directly passed from father to son, son to grandson, and so on, along with genetic variations in the NRY that may be present. Scientists can use genetic variations, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), on the Y chromosome as markers of human ancestry and migration.

It is very effective and the best companies will retest until they get a conclusive result.

If you have, say, just the first 12 markers tested($149 with FTDNA), that will give an indication of where you originated, the more markers you test on, the more information is gained, if you test on the maximumum of, say 67 markers ($349 with FTDNA), it is possible then to find a match to someone else carrying your own, or a different surname, and to prove a link where perhaps no "paper trail" exists. It can therefore pinpoint a place in which your ancestors probably lived in recent history but DNA does not, obviously,

have a surname attached to it, surnames have only been used for around 700 years and of course your DNA originated 10s of thousands of years ago. You can also have a SNP test which will help show the migratory pattern of your ancient ancestors, having said that, you can join a Surname project (e.g. with FTDNA) and receive discounted prices on your tests.

I recommend that you make yourself aware of the various tests available, and the costs with each testing company.

Plus, check out what is available to you after you have tested.

I used Family Tree DNA ,they were the first in the field (founded in 1999), have the largest data base, and do the testing for the National Geographic's Genome project, their "after sales" is excellent and I consider they are the best, but you have to make your own decision on that.

http://www.familytreedna.org

NOTE :-

If you are female, you only carry your mother's Mtdna, and her mother's Mtdna, and her mother's Mtdna etc.,etc.,etc. and that will show only your mother's lineage (you will pass that Mtdna on to your daughters and sons, but your sons will not pass it on to their children). You do not inherit your father's Y-DNA.

If you are male, you inherit your father's Y-DNA, his father's Y-DNA, his father's Y-DNA, and so on back to your origin. You also inherit your mother's Mtdna, but you only pass your Y-DNA on to your sons.

As a female, if you use your dna for the Mtdna test, you can only test for your maternal line. If you have a brother, his dna can be used to test for you mother's Mtdna and your father's

Y-DNA. from the one sample.

Answer 2

tebs gives good details.  Under usual circumstances, it will not identify ancestors by name.

There is an exception for this.. when it is used as part of a surname dna project, it MIGHT prove an ancestor.  For example, paper records prove that John Jones came to Virginia in 1750, and had 4 sons.  There are also provable records for three of the sons, so they can show that John was the father. The fourth son left few records, and by usual means, it looks like he MIGHT be John's son.  For this.. DNA tests can confirm that descendants from your line AND the other 3 lines have the same exact markers, to prove their connection.  To do this requires both working with samples from other proven descendants, as well as paper records.

I had one "brick wall" line that this worked with.

Just of itself, it will not prove your explicit ancestry.